Re-designation: Centre said no to scheme

Dr Basu,originally a reader in the Blood Transfusion Department,Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Sector 32,was on an ex-India leave to Oman from January 5,2006 to January 1,2008. By the use of the scheme,she was re-designated as Associate Professor,and later promoted as regular Professor. Incidentally,the GMCH promoted her as Professor with effect from November 13,2007,the time when she was on leave.

While Dr Raj Bahadur,the director-cum-principal of GMCH claims that the case of Dr Basu was approved before he joined the institute in December 2007 and that her promotion order bears the date of November 17,2008. “Her re-designation was dealt with before I had joined GMCH. In fact,the Director-Principal has no power to promote her. Even the health secretary cannot promote her. It was the UT Administrator who had promoted her.”

Dr Basu,however,has been claiming the designation with effect from November 13,2007.

In reply to an RTI query pertaining to Dr Basu,GMCH says that the rules clearly mention that extraordinary leave (ex-India leave in this case) is not counted for promotion.

When asked,Ram Niwas,Secretary (Health),who is also the UT Secretary (Home),said,“The matter will be examined

thoroughly.”

Faculty Welfare Body favours move
In a press statement on Monday,the faculty welfare body of GMCH said,“The re-designation scheme does not offer any promotion to the concerned faculty member,but gives him/her a semblance of seniority,as the person is re-designated in his/her own pay scale. It is just a virtual promotion. The scheme is beneficial for the faculty as the institute could get more PG seats allotted on the basis of seniority of the faculty (through re-designation). There were no financial implications to the Administration and owing to the scheme,faculty members were appointed as post-graduate examiners”. But a Supreme Court judgment defines any higher grade or rank or both as promotion.

The official communiqué from Department of Personnel (March 19,2009)
* No such scheme has been formulated by the Punjab Government for doctors working in various medical colleges and hospitals,and therefore,formulation of the scheme is not in consonance with the notification dated January 13,1992 issued by the Government of India
* The rules and regulations applicable to PGIMER,AIIMS etc,which are autonomous bodies,are not applicable to the employees of the GMCH
* The Finance department vide order dated May 30,2008 has rejected the proposal
* Approval of the Department of Personnel has not been obtained while formulating the Career Advancement Scheme (re-designation scheme)
* Keeping in view the above circumstances,it is advised to reconsider the scheme and,if need be,steps may be taken to rescind the same